Improvement in steering apparatus for road-steamers



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE W. FITTS, OF OBERLIN, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN STEERING APPARATUS FOR ROAD-STEAMERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 117,759, dated August8, 1871; antedated August 2, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. FrrTs, of the village or' Oberlin, in thecounty of Lorain and State of Ohio, have invented a Guide-Wheel, ofwhich the following is a specification:

rlhe nature of my invention consists in the construction 0i' aguide-Wheel for vehicles, arranged in suchamanner asto give directionand guidance vto the vehicle to Which it is attached.

H is the guide-Wheel, revolving on an axle or shaft, V, which issecurely bolted at the ends to each side of the/convex circle J. J is acircle, with a convex upper surface, its circumference being providedwith cog-teeth O. This circle surrounds the guide-Wheel H, resting uponand bolted to the ends of the axle of the same. The convex surface ofthe circle J exactly vfits the concave under surface of the circle I. Iis a circle with a concave under surface exactly ttin g over and restingon the convex surface of the circle J, permitting the same to revolvetherein. To the upper surface oi' this circle the frame or body of thevehicle may be attached. Attached rigidly to the axle V and rising fromeach side of the Wheel H is a standard, which unite above the saine andis connected with a swivel-joint, which is suspended from the vehicleover the same. This standard holds the tWo circles together and permitsthem to revolve one Within the other. K is a pinion-Wheel engaging withthe cog-teeth of the circle J and fastened to the end oi' the shaft L,provided with the hand-Wheel D for rotating it.

Byrotatin g the pinion-wheel K the circle J and guide-wheel H arerevolved. The circle J may be revolved by a band or belt, or by theshafts of a 'vehicle attached thereto, or by other means.

AHaving thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, 1s-

The steering apparatus, consisting of the concave circle attached to theframe, combined with the geared convex circle, thelatter revolving within the former and having its axle attached thereto, substantially asdescribed.

GEORGE W. FITTS. [L. s] Witnesses:

ANNA S. FrTTs, BENJAMIN W. LocxE.

